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Writing Tips
Feel free to add on to this, but do not edit other people's additions to this page. Add whatever sections you want; please note that anything focusing on characters goes on the Character Tips page. :) _________________ General Storytelling # Number one tip: what matters isn't the words you know. It's how you use them. # Don't TELL the reader how the character is feeling - use their words, thoughts, and actions to SHOW how they're feeling. ## However, sometimes it's okay to simply 'tell' as well. Overusing 'showing' can make the text slow and tiring to read through at times. ## Keep telling to a limit though, because telling is boring. # Make use of indirect characterization (looks, word choice, actions, et cetera). I'm not saying you can't use direct characterization too (telling the reader the character's traits, like "He was a salty man, but a good father"), but indirect characterization makes things a bit more interesting. This goes back to show vs. tell. Direct characterization is essentially telling, and indirect characterization is basically showing. # Make sure to use your character's voice in the narration, especially in first person. It can be applied to third person as well, unless the narrator is part of the plot (like in The Book Thief, how Death was narrating - in that case, you want to use the narrator's voice). What is meant by "using their voice" is making it sound like them. Put some personality into it. It only makes the story better. # Good narration is everything. If you tell the story in a boring way, it doesn't matter what's happening - the reader will be bored. But if you tell it creatively, utilizing figurative language and the narrator/character's voice, it will be a lot more interesting. # Don't waste time with unnecessary exposition - it's more exciting (and easier to write!) if you jump straight into the action. Only write the amount of exposition needed to provide enough background information to the reader. Fighting #Fight/battle scenes should focus on emotion, not description. No one cares about how beautiful the sakura trees are today. We want to know how your character feels as he faces the enemy, as he watches doom's legions approach from the depths of the gathering storm. # Don't write fight scenes blow-by-blow. You're not choreographing the fight - you're telling the story. A few mentions of the character's movements are all right, and sometimes describing a little more what they're doing in the fight is good (if you have a character who's really skilled and you want to show the reader that they're skilled). But keep it to a minimum - let the reader use their imagination. As aforementioned, focus on emotion. Focus on the surging adrenaline, the high stakes, the anger, the desperation, all that good stuff. # Keep your character's fighting abilities in mind! If they are unskilled, they're typically going to tire more easily than someone more experienced. Most people can't take a hit to the diaphragm and keep hitting 100% unless they have been trained to recover quickly, and even then they can still be at a disadvantage. Also keep your character's height, weight, build and reach in mind, as well as their opponent's characteristics as well. # Swords and other bladed weapons aren't as heavy as you think they are. Most medieval swords weigh less than four pounds, and even the more blunt weapons don't go much past six. On the contrary, archers are much stronger than you think. Olympic-level athletes have bows that have 50-70lbs of draw weight. The higher the draw weight, the more punch behind your arrow. Some archers can hold these for minutes at a time. # Know a little bit about the weapons/fighting styles your characters are using so you can depict it correctly. Sounds like common sense, but I've seen authors really . . . not . . . do this . . . and . . . it . . . annoys . . . me . . . so much . . . Using Figurative Language and Other Literary Elements # Make use of pathetic fallacy. Storms during battle only heighten the chaos and add to the turmoil, and a starless, moonless night when revenge is being plotted emphasizes the darkness of vengeance and hatred. Building Worlds and Creating Plots # Make it as unique as possible. What makes your story special? What makes it stand out from all the other wizard stories, or what makes it different from other stories about a high school romance? Category:Miscellaneous